A Very Grinchy Wedding
by LuckyDuck932
Summary: After three years, the Grinch has finally worked up the nerve to propose to Martha . But as the Wedding date fastly approachig the couple finds them in a few comdeic escapdes and the Grinch finds himself questioning if he s ready to be a husband.
1. Dress Shopping

I`m baaaaack with a brand new story! I though I`m gonna take a break from Donkey stuff- and by the time this is finish I`ll have new stuff. And since it was Christmas a few days ago - I wrote this up based on my favorite Holiday Special - The Grinch! Enjoy!

"What do you think of this dress , dear?" Martha May Whovier asked inquisitively to her husband-to-be as she absent-mindedly smoothed all wrinkles that creased the dress, as he awaited the answer.

Opposite her, in the overstuffed, and extremely uncomfortable-looking chair , a green lump that was the Grinch sat , looks absolutely bored out of his mind. He then gave a sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his long, hairy fingers. "Lacey," was his only reply. Martha scrunched her nose as if to say that the answer wasn`t the one she was looking for. She hastily flattered the floral lace imprint on the form of her chest.

In the true opinion of the Grinch, it was quite a lovely dress. Poinsettias where the flower that was crocheted into the long flowing layer of lace on top of the silk bottom. She truly looked like a bride, all that was needed was the veil.

The true reason the Grinch did not speak his real answer, was that he wanted to prove a point that he definitely longed to be somewhere else. Like back on his mountain, where he truly belonged. Dress shopping wasn`t his thing and he wanted to stick by his opinion , and get this over with.

"Talkative today, aren't you?' Martha hissed as she did a full turn on the platform to get a better look at herself. Upon finishing her well made turn , the owner of the store bustled in. "Oh darling! That looks FAB-you-lus!" , she cried as she swung to Martha`s side. A stout , stubbly woman , Woodville's Bridal Gown Shoppe`s owner was a strange character. But in the opinion of the Grinch , EVERYONE in Whoville was a character.

The shop owner buzzed around Martha like a bee , getting a closer look for herself, making comments about this and that under her breathe. Her scrabby and lengthy apprentice came following over with long dress draping over his arms . His face could barely seen by the colossal mountain of silk in front of him. He hustled to one of the seats by the Grinch and laid them down. "I brought these from the back," he croaked while sinking in exhaustion into the seat next to the Grinch.

Martha gave a sniff and stated , " I can`t be certain if this is the one, I think trying on another one is best, don`t you dear heart?" The Grinch gave an acnokwlging groan. "Won-der-ful idea!" chanted the shop keeper. She swarmed to the dressed the apperentaince has recently set down and pulled up one with a large bustle in the back. "Come deary, " She grabbed Martha by the hand, ushering her into the black curtained dressing room.

The Grinch gave one long howl of a groan as he flung his head back and sank lower into the dreaded chair. He turned his head to one side, and asked the weary apprentice , " How many dresses did she pick out?" The young lad gave a long sigh and said " Thirty," he answered. The Grinch abruptly gave a longer moan , and sank ever lower in the chair. " And how many dresses did she try on?"

"Counting this one- two." The boy stated and once again the Grinch gave a humongous groan and sank as far as he could go.

He could of been doing MANY things besides this. Like pulling prank calls or inventing things up in his workshop on the mountain's But no, he had to be stuck on such a nice day like this in a bridal shop with horrible seating choices and nothing to occupy himself but looking over and over again at the fashion catalogue and flinging a plastic cup across the room.

He truly loved Martha- with all his now three times larger heart- and that was a fact since he was eight. Often a time on Mt. Crumpit he would find himself secretly dreaming about her. She use to be the only Who in Whoville who wouldn`t flinch at his sight and offer him a cheerful smile. And in the three years it took for him to work up the nerve to ask her to marry him , she was always there to show the same kindness that she gave to him in the third grade.

But now she was putting him through TORUTE. The Grinch might of had multiple reason for dis-liking shopping for clothes. But I think the most likely reason of all was the fact that he wore none.

As he was being dragged into the store that morning he stated right then and there that " You`ll look good in any dress you`ll try on! Why do I have to go? Couldn`t you of brought one of your "gal pals" to shop with you?"

The Grinch snapped out of his state of thought when Martha came floating out of the dressing room to the stand. This dress was quite beautiful for sure- but it was much more old fashioned than the ladder. Martha hummed in question doing one of her routine spins. She finally stated her mind out loud by saying " I think I like the other one better. With the poinsettias and all- it just seem appropriate..."

" When`s the wedding dear heart?" The shop keeper asked soothingly. " The twenty fourth of December," Martha replied promptly. " I know it`s Christmas Eve but that day has significance e to myself and my fiancé." Martha gave a flirtatious wink to the Grinch , and his heart melted as he straighten up in the chair and in return showed her a grin.

'_No wonder why everyone fell for her...'_, the Grinch admitted to himself.

"Oh how romantic!" The shop keeper squealed. " I bet it will be LO-UV-LEE!" At such comment Martha looked dismayed as she confessed" Let`s hope for it, we`ve hardly started the preparations-" She looked at the Grinch as though he might spring into action and say that it would be all taken care of.

"I bet you`ll have it all figured out by the time the wedding bell start chiming. " The shop keeper assured. How about we try on another dress- " She gave a sharp snap of her fingers and the apprentice pulled out another gown out of the hill of fabric and handed to the woman.

The bored apprentice huffed as he crossed his legs and supported his head with one hand" I hate brides who pick out dozens of dresses and can`t pick which one. I`ve been putting up with it for 5 years now and it bugs me every time..." The Grinch didn`t respond as he watched a familiar face walk past the shop, freeze , pull their parents arms forward and into the store.

"Mr. Grinch!" The child cheered. It was Cindy Lou Who - who had just recently turned eleven. She looked quite the same from the Christmas that changed everything despite being older. She still had her hair in an outlandish fashion of braids , buns , and bows, a large puffy dress that was now pink Pokka dotted, and the same child-like innocent smile that could make any heart grow.

The Grinch arose as Cindy flung herself into his arms and gave him a colossal hug and kiss on the check. She then squeaked with excitement "Is Martha picking out a dress?" The Grinch reply with " She is ... sortta. If she can CHOOSE one." Cindy gave a giggle as her mother- Betty Lou Who said, with her eyes somewhat hazed as if she was recalling something " Oh I remember how hard it was for me to pick. Lou and I spent many a hour here, didn`t we honey?"

Lou sniffed " Oh yeah. I can remember sitting in that exact spot being bored for hours at a time..." The Grinch gave a half heart reply to Lou`s comment by joking " Then I guess there`s no hope for me..." Lou smiled and shook his head" I`m afraid not."

Martha peered out of the dressing room " What`s all the... Betty! Lou ! Cindy! " she hoisted up her princess skirt and skidded along the room as the shop keeper zoomed behind her, trying to finish zipping up the dress. " Well how are you?"

"Fair, " Betty replied " We`re getting Cindy ready for school to start, picking up all the supplies." Martha beamed and crouched down to Cindy's level " And what grade are you going into?" Cindy, with some pride in herself answered, " Sixth ". Martha beamed up to her regular height. "My you`re getting older every time I see you! Are you excited about being a bridesmaid?"

Cindy squeaked "Yes! I can`t wait to see what dress you chose for me to wear for the ceremony !" Martha gave a look of distress , as if she had forgotten about that fitting for the bride`s maid dresses. But she reframed from saying anything - for she simply reply to the sweet child " You`re going to love it- I know it for sure." Cindy`s smiled grew larger as he mother looked at her watch. "Heavens! We better get going sweetie - we still have lots to buy and little time!"

Cindy said farewell as she edged backwards towards the grand French doors being pulled by the hand of her mother. When they family was no longer seen from view Martha sighed as she moved her glance form the window to the back of the store , her hand still waved in goodbye. She lowered it realizing that she hadn`t even though of the bridesmaid dresses. It had always been about HER dress- the one that seemed to be the most essential attire for the ceremony . How could she of laid this off for so long? She only had a few months until the big day!

Now there wouldn`t be any more slacking. The couple`s focused would be entirely on the planning of this wedding. And they could start-by trying on another dress.


	2. The Wedding Planner

Martha May primped the last of her curls that dangled from her outrageous Whoville bun. She always took pride in her looks, but today she was working extra hard at it. For today was the day when she and the Grinch would meet the wedding planner and arrange and settle certain details. She had called for a meeting a few days ago and soon she would be departing for the shop on Main Street from her cozy little home in Greater Whoville. Now all she had to do was wait for was the Grinch.

Looking around, her home had changed from that fateful holiday season nearly three years ago. The picture of August had long since been thrown away and replaced by one of her and the Grinch. And they weren't the stuffy , snooty portraits that Martha had posed for with little emotion. They where bright and fun showing the great times that she and the Grinch had over the years. Her face was no longer showing a bored expression ,but true genuine feeling.

Not only had her home differed from that Christmas, but Martha herself had been altered from. She was much more happier than then. Her life at that time seemed so miserable, as she was getting engaged to man she could barley tolerate, let alone love. She barely laughed or smiled with August , because truly inside, she didn`t want him. She wanted the Grinch. It had been an undeniable need of hers since she was nearly eight years old. But now that her dream had come true, her life seemed perfect.

Looking up on her bookshelf, from the open door of her powder-room, she saw the box that, had expressed not only the unhappiness of her own life after the third grade, but the Grinch`s as well. An old smashed tree angel had been store in it for as long as she could remember. The fragments of the angel were a keepsake to Martha , and she kept it safe. Often she would try to fix it, but no matter how many times she tried to glue it back together , it never looked as nice as it did when the Grinch had first made it. She never brought it up, it was too touchy of a subject to get into anyway. She didn`t want him to feel the pain and humiliation n he suffered from that incident, ever again.

From all the way in her powder room, where she had gussied herself up, she could hear the sound of her doorbell. She quickly arose from the plushy cushion seat at her vanity, squirted one last spritz of her peppermint perfume, and went to answer the door.

She was greeted when she pulled the door open, by a dog who pounced on her, happily panting and scratching at her legs. " Hi Maxie," she spoke in a babied voice as she picked the dog up. He licked her hands passionately as a way to show how happy he was to see her, and showed it back by scratching behind the ears.

The sound of loud and obnoxious slurping could be heard, so she shifted her glance upwards, to lock eyes with her true love. He stood before her, looking worn-out , sipping on an enormous container of Moose Juice. Martha then realized that the reason that he looked in such condition was because of this late summer heat. His Grinch fur wasn`t meant for the warmer valleys, but high up in the mountains. Having so much of it must have made him exhausted and probably dying for something to cool him down.

The Grinch abruptly stopped his drinking, as he said " Ready to go?" Martha once again, gave him her warm smile as she took his furry hand and they began down the steps of the grand home and into town with Max gleefully trotting behind them like a guardian . And contrary to what people said about his hands, they weren't cold and clammy to her. They were warm and comforting.

The Grinch ceased his sucking and said to Martha when they turned the corner on to the main road to the village, " So what`s this person gonna talk to us about?" She replied , "Oh thing like how many people are attending, where it is... those kinds of thing, " she replied.

The Grinch`s expression to that answer showed how much he was uninterested in such things. Martha saw the look on his face and assured him" She just wants to set this in stone before we get on with better things. The other details will come later."

" Oh alright. But I hope there`ll be free cake next time," he responded. She gave a small laugh as they continued the journey to Main street.

Another change from that Christmas years ago was that the Grinch no longer needed to cover himself with his thread-bare cloak and cheesy dime store mask. People no longer cowered in fear at the sight of him, rather they were open and welcoming to him like any other Who. They would give acknowledging waves and friendly smiles. It seemed like all of Whoville was kind to the Grinch because he had turned a new leaf.

However, the Grinch could think of one who that despised him so, and would grimace in his general direction.

August May Who was the one, and lackey Whobris . Martha never talked much to him. They kept at a distance after it was official that she was dating the Grinch. And it was worse whenever the Grinch had popped the question, right in front him at the park . When Martha accepted joyfully and jumped upon the Grinch in happiness, her beloved didn`t see the pain in Augusts' face like the way she did.

Even if she never truly loved August - she felt pity for him. Not only had he had lost her love to a beast who had been a hermit up on Mt. Crumpit for twenty years, but a few weeks later he lost in the election for mayor to Ned McDood, a man with ninety seven children. Augusts' family had been mayors of Whoville as long as anyone could remember. Since then, Martha hadn`t seen August around. But since her focus was on the wedding , she didn`t worry about how he was doing.

Martha and the Grinch came through the town`s many winding roads and onto Main Street. By then the Grinch`s slurping was more limited. Upon reaching the shop , the Grinch looked around for a garbage can , but couldn`t seem to find one. "Go on Martha, " , he told her, motioning with a wave of his hand. She followed his orders and walked into Carol Cheryl Who`s Wedding Planning and Event Coordination.

To describe the store in one word, it would be grand (at least in Martha May`s perspective). Everywhere Martha would turn, there was something just splendid. Frilly, lacy, tablecloths adorned the displays, which showcased cakes, bouquets of flowers, and various other wedding necessities. She was in awe at the sheer sight of it and reached out to the table in front of her to touch the shimmery veil modeled on a mannequin's head before her.

"Why hello Martha!" came a voice. Martha quickly pulled her hand away from the veil and turned to see that it was none other than the wedding planner , Mrs. Carol Cheryl Who . She was very unlike the Whoville Bridal Shoppe`s owner, the opposite perhaps. This who was long and slender, like a freshly dipped candle. She was an older woman , but very fair with her silver streaked curls . Her dress, a shorter, business style designer red form-fitting dress with a matching cropped jacket that showed her expensive taste.

"Hello," Martha answered back , extending a hand. "Goodness...," the wedding planner breathed."It`s been ages since I`ve seen you last. What sixteen years? " Martha`s cheeks blushed and said, " Well I`m obvious not fourteen years old anymore, now am I?"

"Certainly not. I was pleased that I`ve come back to Whoville after so long to find out that you're about to be married! Oh, who`s the lucky boy to have your hand?" At that exact moment, the door swung open at the front of the store to reveal a dark green furry pear shaped monster like creature that was the Grinch.

By instinct Martha turned to see the expression of Carol. By the looks in her eyes she was an array of emotions. Both extreme shock and fear could be read in her face. Her mouth was open , like a cod fish, only emphasizing the dumbfoundediness she had. "Oh my," was the only thing she could utter.

Sheepishly, Martha replied , " Him." She cleared her throat and formally said , * " Carol this is my fiancé , the Grinch." A sharp bark came from Max , who didn`t like it when he wasn`t included, so Martha added, "And his dog Max."

Carol`s expression unfroze a tad when she saw that brown pup, who despite from panting from heat, remained to have a cheerful disputation and gave her a greeting of a lick on the hand. "Well," Martha said, knowing the awkwardness and tension that was in the air , trying to get things moving again. " We better get started."

Carol kept her focus on the Grinch the entire time she showed them to the back of her office, with an evil suspicion in her eyes. Conveyed by her face, it looked as though she thought the Grinch was going to spring into something menacing. He tried hard to ignore this, but he still felt the heat of her eyes melting towards him. But he wasn`t so unused to stares. He had received a fair amount of them as a child, along as when he came down from his mountain to Whoville that fateful Christmas.

She had lead them to a cozy little corner of the store, with soft green cushioned seats around a broad wooden table topped with a cheery vase of red roses. Martha and the Grinch took the seat opposite Carol`s head chair, which was far more formal and official then theirs. Max however, sat at his master`s feet in an instinct of protection and loyalty.

Carol had some papers a strew on her side and gazed at them as she shuffled to find the correct one. "Aha!" the Who said to herself as she pulled it out of the pile. From out of her jacket`s pocket, she pulled out a blue ink pen, which she imedatitly clicked to open.

"So, Martha," she turned immediately to her , avoiding all possible eye contact with the Grinch. " You said you`re wedding was on the 24th of December?" Martha gave a small nod, and replied. " Yes. But we don`t have as much time as I hoped..."

"That`s why you turned to me," Carol assured with a smile. " I`ll take care of the little details, so by then you`ll have nothing to worry about. Now, how many people do you think will be attending."

Martha answered first, "About a hundred and thirty on my side." She turned to the Grinch, who sat on her right side.

"Okay let`s see. . . We got Cindy Lou. . ." The Grinch counted with his long hairy fingers.

"She`s my junior bride`s maid, " Martha informed Carol.

". . . And Betty , Lou, Stew, and Drew..."

"You can`t forget about Rose and Petunia!"

"Right... oh and Max." He gestured with his free hand at the half snoozing dog lying at his feet. " So that`s seven people and a dog." Carol nodded and scribbled down something on the sheet. The look on her face showed that she wasn`t surprised about her judgment on the Grinch was true .

A few hours later Martha , the Grinch, and Max emerged from the store. Martha was looking particularly pleased with herself. Then, on the other hand, had the trademark sourly Grinchy- frown. He honestly didn`t know how to handle this. He would have to put up with a person who barely made eyes contact, let alone wanted to talk , as a wedding planner. It meant that this whole thing was going to be run by Martha, without any of the Grinch`s insight. Carol was only going to look for her opinion on everything. She might as well deck the entire town in flashy ribbons and bows.

But Martha could read her fiancé expression well. "I know that Carol may seemed frightened by you and try to avoid talking to you, but she doesn`t quite know how to reacted. I mean, my mother as a dear friend of hers but then moved to Whobatoies. I guess she was in a surprise when she found out that I was in love with you, rather than August."

The Grinch gave no reply, for they had already reached the garbage chute that would take him and Max to Crumpit. Martha , who from her rich upbringing and fair amount of etiquette classes as a child, politely opened the hatch of the "Dump-it to Crumpit" for her fiancé. "Well," the Grinch began awkwardly, but had brought up a bit of his charisma mocking a gentleman "Until tomorrow, my love." Martha couldn`t help but raise her hand upon her lips to keep from giggling, but leaned in for a kiss. He copied her action , but just as they were about to lock lips, Max`s paw slipped as she stumbled up into the chute, sucking him and the Grinch back up towards the mountain.

Martha jolted backwards at the shock of such event, but then she found it quite humorous. "Goodbye," she called down the hole, and her voice clacked and echoed through the tunnel. Realizing that he would be back in his lair soon, she looked up at the great mountain that loamed over Whoville, where her arm was raised in a farewell, and wished her love a goodnight.


End file.
